I Had A Torn Miniscus

I had arthroscopic surgery on my knee for a torn miniscus. I was 37 years old and in relative good health at the time. I had torn it many years earlier during my water ski jumping days, ,but didn't realize it for quite some time. I had also torn the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the same knee, but since I never made a living with my knees, I elected not to have that repaired, as the rest of the muscles had developed enough to compensate for the lack of that ligament. I didn't particularly relish the thought of having a cast on my leg for several months and being out of work for that long, as well. I wasn't in any pain, and my life was in no way being disrupted because if it.

The torn miniscus (cartilage) however, did prove to be quite bothersome at times. My knee would lock up, I would be in excrutiating pain for a few seconds (seemed like hours.) I would force my knee straight again, and would be fine until the next episode, usually several months apart. Because these lock-ups were so infrequent, I never did have the knee looked at for that problem. But in 2004, my knee locked up again, but this time it would not release. I literally thought I had died and gone to hell! This time I had to be taken to the ER, where I was shot with a heavy duty pain killer (thanks for not asking me if I had had anything to eat for lunch before shooting me up) and some sort of muscle relaxer. The knee finally released it's deathly grip on me, but not before I hurled my breakfast.

I scheduled the surgery so that I would be home for the play-offs and World Series (evil grin.) I was out of work for 6 weeks, but you musst remember, I never had the rehab facilities that the Sox have for their players. I'm sure that the Sox will take extra care and precautions to nurse Lugo's knee back to health. I'm sure that with their facilities that Lugo will be back in 4 weeks or less. I have had no problems with my knee since then.

Get well soon, Julio Lugo. (And no more 2 error innings!)

Note~ This post never appeared on Fenway West. I have video footage of the actual surgery, but could not figure out how to cout 2 minutes off of it in order to post it to youtube. I'm still working on that. When I do get the video posted, I will update this post.